Automatic train-brake-control apparatus.



11. MJ'P. MURPHY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN BRAKE CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 5, 1907.

Patented July 28, 1914.

4 SHBETSQSHEET 1,

. H. M. P. MURPHY.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN BRAKE CONTROL APPARATUS.

' APPLIOATION'IILED AUG. 5, 1907.

Patented July 28, 191A 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNESSES I hwzn'ron W MM M. P. MURPHY. AUTOMATIC TRAIN BRAKE CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1907.

Pa tented July 28, 1914,

4 $HEBTSSEEET 3- I WITNESSES iNVQ-INTOR t H. M. P. MURPHY. AUTOMATIC TRAIN- BRAKE GONTROL APPARATUS. V APPLICATION :ILED AUG. 5,1907.

Patented July 28, 1914 4 BEETS-SHEET 4.-

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wrrnesss mveu'roR To all'wlwm it may concern:

. j UN TED sT-ATEs B N- O HOWARD M. r. MURPHY, or rrrrsnunen, PENNSYLVANIA, AS'SIGNOR To THE WES ING HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF. WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, .A CORPQR A- not: or PENNSYLVANIA.

auroiuicrrc TRAIN-BRAKE-CONTBOL ArrARArUs.

Be it known that I, HowanoM. P. Mun- PHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-'Brake-Control Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i This invention relates to automatic tram brake control apparatus, and'particularly to i apparatus of this character wherein fluid pressure brakes-are'adapted to be automatically appliedby the operation of mechanism on the train, which is in turn set 1nto operation by a trip. mechanism located along the line of way.

Anapp'aratus of the above nature 1s disclosed in a prior application, Serial No.

- 373,243, and comprises, broadly stated, a

valve Ydevice normally subject-to l'lllld under pressure and a trip actuated means for varying the pressure on one side of said valve device to'actuate the same and thereby effect a reduction in train pipe pressure to produce an application of thebra-kes. In this construction two such valvedevices may be employed,- one adapted to effect a gradual and theother a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure to produce, respectively, a service means-are provided whereby the admission of fluid under pressureto the 'train'pipe, by

manipulation of the engineers brake valve,

is prevented, while the automatic control apparatus is in its active position, so that the brakes cannot then be released by the engineer. Another feature consists in means adapted to. automatically release the brakes at a predetermined period'of time after an automatic trip governed application of the braked is'elfecte'd.

The principal object of my invention .is to a provide an improved automatic train brake control apparatus having the above mentioned features, where n a single valve (le vice is employed for eifectmg a service and Specification of Letters I a tent. Pat ehted J flly 2S, 1914 Application fiied August 5, 1907. Serial No. 387,182. 7

an emergency application of the brakes, thereby providing a compact construction of train pipe pressure in position to regulate the release of fluid from the train pipe; Fig.

4 a "similar view with the parts in service position, but showing the service reduction valve in full open positlon'; F 1g. 5 a similar v1ew, show1ng the parts in the emergency applicationv position; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are,

central sectional views of a slightly modified form of valve device for automatically controlling the brakes, showing the parts respectively in normal, service application and emergency application positions.

The apparatus shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 comprises a. train pipe 1, engineefs brake valve 2, connected by pipe 3 directly, and by pipe 4 through a reducing valve 5, with the main reservoiigas heretofore, an

automatic trainbrake control valve device 6,-

,through. which communication is normally established from train pipe 1, through pipe 7 to the brake valve to permit control of the brakes by manipulation of the engineers brake valve '2; The usual equalizing reser..

voir S is also connected, normally, with the engineerls brake valve, through said valve device by way of pipe 9. The "appa 'atus alsocomprises a trip governed vent valve device 10, connected by-pipe 11 with the valve device 6 and adapted to actuate. said valve device to effect a service application of the brakes, asimila-r vent valve device 12, connected by p1pe13 with the valve device 6, for actuatlng said valve device to effect an emergency application of the'brakes, and a time reservolr 14 connected to said valve device byf pipe 15.

According to the ponstruction illustrated in Figs. 2to5 inclusive, the automatic valve device comprises a casing 16 having a valve chamber 17, containing slide valve 18, and a piston chamber 19 containing actuating the slide valve 18. r The piston 20 is normally. maintained in an intermediate position in the piston chamber 19 by a resistance spring 21, which may be arranged within the piston stem 22 of said piston and tends to maintain oppositely a piston 20 for arranged stems or stops 23 and 24: in an outward position, thestems being of such length that each contacts with an adjacent wall of the casing 16, whenthe piston. 20 is in its normal intermediate position, so that I .movement of said piston in either direction compresses the spring 21.

In the normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the train pipe IS in open communicatwn I With-the brake valve through the pipe 7 and valve chamber 17, the port 25'to the brake valve side of pipe 7 registering with a port 26 in the slide valve 18, open1ng into said valve chamber, and port 27, to the train pipe 7, being uncovered'by said slide valve 18. The equalizing reservoir 8 is also open to the brake valve, the ports 28 and 29, leading respectively to the equalizing reservoir and-brake valve sides of the'pipe 9, being connected by cavity 30 in the main valve 18. Consequently the brakes may normally pressure. Air also flows through a small port 31 and a passage 32 to the inner side of the piston 20, and through a passage 33 in the piston stem 22 to the spring-chamber containing the spring 21,

and thence through a passa e 34 in the spring stop'24 to the outer side of the piston 20, so that the opposite. sides of said piston are normally maintained at train pipe pressure.

The equalizin reservoir is charged in the usual way, to'tl e normal train pipe pressure, through pipe-9, po'rt'29, cavity 30.

in the slide valve 18, port 28, to equalizing reservoir side of pipe 9 and the equalizing reservoir 8. Pipe 9 and the equalizing .reservoir are also connected by a passage 35 With-the outer face of an abutment 36 forv regulating the rate of reduction ;in' train pip'e -pressure in. service applications of the brakes; M r w v *Timeireservoir 14 is connectedlbypi e 15 toja port 37 in the slide valve se'at',.'.W ich,

in "normal position, Ft 'I- cavity a as was... A p g uh r e Said Slide valve=18, opens into' the ,c'a'vity 38, and in normal position, registers vvith an exhaust portf lO, opening to cavity 41, so

44, port 45, in the slide 'valve seat,

. to produce an application of the brakes.

that normally the time reservoir is 'at atof the engineers' brake valve, the only communication to the piston'being by way of the restricted port 31.

The trip vent valve devices 10 and 12 may be of any desired construction, for venting fluidfrom one side of the iston 20, when actuated by the track trip, ut I prefer to employ a trip vent valve device similar to that shown and described in the prior application Serial No. 373243 hereinbefore referred to, wherein the vent valve is maintained in open position, after actuation, for a predetermined period of time, so as to insure a sufficient venting of fluid from the piston. 1

Upon actuation of the service vent valve clevi'ce'lO, by g track trip, fluid under pressure is vented from the chamber at the outer face of the piston. 20, so that the higher ressure on the inner .face of said piston s ifts the same to its extreme outer position, the stem-24 compressing the spring 21, v The slide valve 18. thereupon. assumes the position, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the port 25 to the brake valve side of pipe 7 is closed so that the train pipe is cut' off from the engineers brake valve, preventin the release of the brakes during the time the piston 20 and valve 18 are in this posit-ion. Port 27 leading to the train pipe side of pipe 7 is now open to the exhaust by Way of valve chamber 17, port 43, passage cavity 46 in the slide valve 18 to the exhaust port 41. Air is thus exhausted from the train pipe In order to effect a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure to a predetermined degree, to thereby produce a service application of the brakes, the time reservoir 14 is employed, and in this" position, communicates with theequalizing reservoir 8. The port 37, leading to pipe 15 and the time reservoir 14, being connected, by cavity 38 in the valve 18, With port 28 leading to pipe 9 and the equalizing reservoir 8. Air flows from the equalizing reservoir into the time-reservoir, and also to the outer side of said piston 20, until equalization of pressures has been effected, and in the meantime the train pipe pressure is, being reduced through exhaust vport 41,. and correspondingly on the inner side of the piston 20. As soon as thetrain pipe pressure on the inner face is reduced substantially. to, equal-the fluid pressure on the outer side of the piston, the spring 21 exerts sufficient pressure to return the pispressure as effected by the usual movement ton andvalve to the normal position, closing the train pipe exhaust, and opening communication from the brake valve through pipe 7 to the train pipe whereby air is then supplied to the train pipe, automatically releasing the brakes. It will be noted that when the piston 20 is in its outer position, the stem 24 shifts inwardly, relative to piston 20, closing the port 34 therein,

exhaust port -11 through passage 40, and

the equalizing reservoir with pipe 9, leading to the brake valve, so that control of the brakes is again restored to the engineer.

. On short trains the fluid pressure in the train pipe reduces more rapidly than on long trains, and i order to secure a more uniform rate of reduction in train pipe pressure, I provide means for regulating the size of the opening, through which the fluid port.

from the train pipe flows to the exhaust Such means may preferably consist of an abutment 36, contained in a chamber 49 of a cap 73, which may be secured to the valve chamber end of the casing 16. The

abutment 36 operates 'a stem 51, adapted on forward movement to restrict an opening 43 connecting the valve chamber 17 with the passage 44, leading to the exhaust. A spring v 52 tends to maintain the abutment 36 against its seat 53, and the abutment is subject on its outer face to the fluid pressure of the equalizing reservoir, to which it is open through the passage The inner face of the abutment is open, through a passage 50, to the valve chamber 17 and the train pipe. It will now be apparent, that should the train pipe pressure reduce more rapidly than the equalizing reservoir pressure, the latter pressure will shift the abutment inwardly and the stem 51 will correspondingly re-.

strict the opening 43, from the train pipe to p the exhaust port, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby regulating the rate of exhaust of fluid pressure from the train pipe. If the train pipe reduction proceedsat a rate relatively the same as the rate of reduction in the equalizing reservoir pressure, as would be the case on longtrains, the abutment remains in its outer position, as shown in Fig. 4;.

r When the emergency v'ent valve 12 is actuated, fluid under pressure isvented from the inner face of the piston 20, by way of the passage 32, causing the piston 20 to shift the valve 18 inwardly, assuming the position as shown in Fig. 5, in which the spring 21 is compressed by the act on of the stem 23. -The cavity 46 then connects the port 27 to the pipe 7, leading to train pipe, with the wide open exhaust port 41fand the train pipe pressure is thereupon rapidly reduced, to effect an emergency application of the brakes. The brake valve communication with the train pipe is closed through port 25 by the slide valve 18, as in a service application, so that the engineer cannot release the brakes, or prevent the' normal operation of the automatic valve'device. r

The time reservoir is connected through port 37, cavity 38, and passage 57 with passage 32 and the inner'face of the piston 20,

and the equalizing'reservoir is open to the valve chamber '17. byway of port 28 which registers with through port 58, in this position. Fluid under pressure thus flows from the equalizing reservoir into the valve chamber 17 and thence gradually equalizes through the small port 31 and the passage 32, into the time reservoir and on the inner face of the piston'20, the fluid under pressure also flows from the valve chamber 17 through the port 33 to the spring chamber 9ov of spring 21 and thence through port 34 to the chamber 19 and outer face'of piston 20. The port 33 and passage 34 are large compared with the port 31, so that, the pressure on the outer face of the piston rises more rapidly than on the inner face thereof and consequently the piston remains in its inner position, until the fluid flowing through the small port 31 and around the piston 42 has substantially equalized with the pressure on the outer face, then the piston 20 and valve 18 are returned to normal position by the action 'of the spring 21. The piston 20 is; preferably provided with an inner seating ring 60, to prevent the possible leakage. of

fluid past the piston 42, to the passage 32 and the time reservoir, so that the only flow will be through the restricted port 31, on the size of which will then depend the period of'time during which the piston remains in its emer- 11 0 gency position. Ashereinbefore described, the train pipe is again connected with the engineers brake valve and the time reservoir with the exhaust, and brakes are automatically released, upon return of the piston to itslnormal position.

A-IIlQdlfiBd construc'tlon is shown in Figs. {3 to 8 inclusive, wherein the main valve 18 and piston 20 are substantially thesame in construction and operation as described in connection with Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive. If desired, independent springs 61 and 62 may be employed with stops or stems 63 and 64 respectively, tending to maintainsaid piston and valve in their normal position; In this 12,5

construction, an additional exhaust port 65 is provided, which is uncovered upon movement of the valve 18 and piston 20 to service position. The exhaust passage 66 leading from the exhaust port 65, is provided with l a check valve 67 which may be adjusted according to the degree of reduction in train pipe pressure desired, as for example, at a.

standard train pipe pressure of 70 pounds, the spring 68 may be adjusted to 55 pounds, there y permitting a train pipe reduction of 15 pounds in service applications of the brakes. The operation of the apparatus in. service applications is Otherwise the same as before escribed, as also the emergency action, the equalizing port opening to the outer face of the piston, being'the'passage 70 instead of by way of the spring stem, as in the first described construction.

A passage 71 may be provided to connect the portion of pipe 7 leading to the brake valve with the train pip side of said pipe. The passage 71 contains a check valve 72 facing toward the brake valve. With this arrangement, a reduction in trainpipe pressure may be made by the engineers brake valve to e'ifect an application of the brakes, regardless of the. position of the automatic valve device, but the brakes cannot be re leased by reason of the check valve 72,- which prevents flow of airto the train pipe.

It will now be apparentthat I have provided a compact constructiom, wherein a single valve device is adapted to govern both service and emergency applications of the brakes when set into action by the operation of a track trip device.

' Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Lette'rs Patent is:

.1. An automatic train brake control apparatus comprising a valve device having a'normal position and movable in one direction from the normal posit-ion to effect a gradual reduction in train pipepressure and produce a service application of the brakes and movable in the opposite direction from the normal positionto effect a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure and produce an emergency application of the brakes, and

means for automatically actuating said valve device.

2. An automatic train brake control apparatus comprising a valve adapted to eifect a gradual reduction in one {position and 'a' sudden reduction in train pipe pressure in another position, upon movement to either position'from anindependent normal position, to thereby produce respectively aservice and an emergency application of the brakes,-a piston for actuating said valve and means for automatically operating said piston.

3.An. automatic train brake ,control apparatus comprising a valve adapted to effect a gradual reduction in one position and a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure ir another position, upon movement to either position from an intermediate normal-position, to thereby produce respectively, a service and an emergency application of the brakes, a piston, normally subject to opposing fluid pressures for actuating said valve, and an automatically operated valve for varying the pressure on one side of said piston to actuate the same.

4..An automatic train brake control apparatus com rising a valve andactuating piston therei dr, normally subject to opposing fluid pressures, a vent valve adapted to vent fluid from one side of said piston to actuate said valve, to effect a gradual reduction in train pipe pressure and produce a service application of the brakes, and another vent valve adapted to release fluid from the opposite side of said piston to ac tuate said valve to effect a sudden reduction in train pipe pressure and produce an emergency application of the brakes.

5 An automatic train brake control apparatus comprising a valve device, means for actuating said valve dgvice to thereby 'effeet a gradual reduction 1n train pipe pressure in one position and a sudden reduction in another, and 'a yielding resistance means for returning said valve device to an intermediate position.

6. An automatic train ,brake control apparatus comprising a valve device, subject on one side to fluid at train pipe pressure, means for actuating said valve device to open a train pipe exhaust port, a reservoir normally at train pipe pressure and means for reducing the pressure therein and for connecting the same to the opposite side of the valve device to actuate said valve'device and close said train pipe exhaust port upon a predetermined reduction in train pipe pressure.

7. An automatic train brake control apparatus comprising a valve, an actuating piston, subject. on one side to train pipe pressure, means for actuating said piston and valve to open av train pipe exhaust port, an equalizing reservoir normally containing fluid at train pipe pressure, a reservoir normally at atmospheric pressure adapted to be connected to said equalizing reservoir and to the opposite side of said piston toa'ctuate said piston and valve and close said exhaust port upon substantial equalizationof fluid pressures on said piston; r

8. An automatic train brakecontrol' apparatus comprising a valve, an actuating piston, subjecton one side to'train pipe pres'- surepmean's for actuating said piston and valveltlo open a train pipe exhaust port, an equalizing reservoir 'norinallycontaining fluid at train pipe pressure, a reservoir normally atatmos'pheric pressiire, adapted to be connected to said equalizing reservoir andto theopposite side of said piston and yielding resistance means for returning said piston and valve ts clcse said exhaust port I sures of the train pipe and the flow of fluid .upon reductlon of the train ,plpe pressure I from a regulatmg chamber, for actuatmg 410 substantmlly equal that; on the Opposite szud regulatmg means.

side of the piston. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 9. An automa'izlc train brake control apmy hand.

actuating said valve device to open a train pipe exhaust port and means for regulating Witnesses:

the flow of fluid through said exhaust port, 1%, Eu Enema 0 a piston, subject :0 the eppesing pre "WM, M. CADY. 

